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See the shipwrecks, lighthouses, and islands of Death’s Door Passage on this exciting boat tour

Quick Details

We often get asked why its called the “Death’s Door Tour” and it’s because it takes you through Port des Morts, or Death’s Door Passage. In fact that’s why its also called Door County, because of the stretch of water from the end of the peninsula to Washington Island. Over the centuries hundreds of boats sank in this area due to rapidly changing weather conditions. Weather, coupled with all of the islands and rock piles in the area that boats would encounter and hit, on top of inaccurate navigation. Now days there are far fewer shipwrecks happening and this place is perhaps one of the most interesting places to see in Door County.

Our Death’s Door Tour departs from Ellison Bay and brings you to the end of Door County where you observe panoramic views of the Niagara Escarpment and a multitude of islands. From there the tour heads to Plum Island and Pilot Island where you scope out several lighthouses and light beacons up close, originally built in the 1800’s. The bird population on Pilot Island alone is a sight worth beholding. During this excursion the boat stops by the old Lifesaving Station on Plum Island and also drifts over the shipwrecks of the Grapeshot and Fleetwing, both wood schooners which sank in the 1800’s. You are able to lean over the side of the boat and see these wrecks in just 5 feet of water. We cover much of the history of Death’s Door Passage and why this area is one of our favorite places to visit.

Tours depart from the Ellison Bay Boat Ramp (12033 Cedar Road, Ellison Bay, WI 54210) all day beginning at 10:00 am.

We cannot predict the weather conditions and sometimes depending on the wind it can be a wavy and bumpy ride, hence the name “Adventure Rafting”. We DO NOT recommend taking this tour if you are pregnant, are under the age of 3, have mobility issues, or have had back surgery or chronic back or knee problems and pain within the last year. Boarding and disembarking may be difficult and unstable for persons with mobility issues.

Make sure to bring a jacket, sunscreen, and a camera with on the tour.

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